By: Laura Scarpellini, Lifestyle Buyer, Merchandiser and lover of mundane magic
With the Summer solstice coming up next week (June 20th), It seems to be the perfect time to soak up the season’s rays in a delicious sun-steeped tea! Midsummer celebrations historically celebrate the sun through bonfires, dancing, and merriment. While I may not have the yard space for dancing about a bonfire in Boston, I will simply have to make do! By listening to early 2000s pop in my porch garden with a mason jar of iced tea, and curling up to A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999) at dusk of course.
For your own Midsummer celebration:
A large 32-64 oz jar makes a wonderful batch for sharing, but if your solstice plan is a party of one, a standard 12-16 oz mason jar will work too. You can use approximately 1 tsp of your tea of choice per 8oz of water. Place the jar in direct sunlight for 1-2 hours, checking on it periodically to give it a little shake!
The options are endless, but a beloved pick is hibiscus flowers for their vibrant red-purple steep. Delicate plant parts, like leaves and flowers will do best with this method since roots, barks and seeds tend to need a little more heat, time and agitation to extract medicinal properties. But that being said, you could probably still get a delicious and mucilage rich result if working with marshmallow root! It doesn’t have to be an herbal tea either, Camellia Sinensis (the plant species that is responsible for white tea, yellow tea, green tea, oolong, dark tea and black tea) will steep just fine too. Here is my own midsummer sun tea recipe if you are in need of inspiration:
Red Raspberry Leaf
Hibiscus Flower
Rose Hips
Mullein Leaf
Orange slices
Add ice cubes and honey or sugar to taste! Sip and take in the sunlight of the year’s longest day…